Pens and Pencils
by 10-phoenix-feathers
Summary: Brand new Hufflepuff Muggleborn, Elise Bones, is very nervous for her first charms class. It doesn't make it any better that her deskmate doesn't even know what a pen is! What if they ... started to sell them? Oneshot.


_Disclaimer: The Potterverse isn't mine._

 **Pens and Pencils**

Elise Bones, a new member of the Hufflepuff House, sat down with a thump at a desk and opened her bag. It was her first day of classes at Hogwarts, and she was both very nervous and very excited. She gave a smile to her sandy-haired deskmate.

"Welcome to Charms!" said Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. "Now, first of all, I want you to turn to your desk partner and introduce yourself. Tell each other your name, what you do in your spare time, that sort of thing. Go!"

Elise turned to her deskmate and held out her hand. "Elise Bones."

"Derrick Silt," the boy returned, shaking her hand firmly. "You're in Hufflepuff, aren't you?"

"Yep! And you're Slytherin?"

"Yeah."

"Are you excited to start classes? I'm pretty ready myself, though I've barely held a wand before, so we'll see how it goes."

"Wait –" Derrick hesitated. "Are you a … a Muggleborn?"

"Yes, at least, I think so." She gave a little nervous giggle. "What do you do in your spare time?"

"Quidditch, read, all the usual."

"Fun!" smiled Elise, though she wasn't sure what _Quidditch_ was. "I don't really do anything interesting. I mean, there's all the usual things – gaming, watching TV – Doctor Who's my favourite."

Derrick just blinked at her, and Elise started to worry if she had said something very wrong. However, before she could ask what the matter was, Professor Flitwick spoke up again.

"Alright students, now that you know your deskmate, please take out your quills and copy down the objectives on the board."

There was a rustling of bags as students pulled out bottles and feathers. Elise pulled her pencil case out of her bag and unzipped it, spilling out her stationary onto her side of the desk. She couldn't decide whether to use her blue gel pen or her green ballpoint with the cats on it, so she picked the red sparkly one. She opened her notebook, and stole a glance at Derrick. He was staring at her.

"What's that?" he whispered, pointing at her pen.

"What, my pen? It's from Typo."

"What?"

"It's a stationary shop." Nothing but blank looks from Derrick. "You know, it sells pens and pencils and things."

"And what's this?" he pointed at her notebook.

Elise stared at him. "Seriously? It's a notebook. Don't you use notebooks?"

"I use parchment, not pens or notebooks – is it some muggle stuff?"

"You don't use pens?"

"Quiet please," interrupted Flitwick. "Get to work."

Elise quickly copied down the objectives on the board – all about learning basic spellwork, and completing an exam and fifteen essays by the end of the school year.

While she was in the middle of copying down the types of spells she was meant to learn, she stole a glance at Derrick. He was staring intently at her pen, his mouth open a little, watching it glide smoothly over the lined page.

She looked away, and then looked again after a moment. He was still staring.

Elise scribbled down " _WHAT IS UR PROBLEM?!"_ and shoved it over Derrick's work.

" _Sorry_."

" _It's distracting."_

" _How does it work?"_

" _It's just a bloody pen. U should focus on ur own work."_

She sealed the note with a violent red underline and turned back to her work. Moments later, she felt a nudge under her elbow.

Derrick's note read: " _It changes colours too?"_

Elise turned and fiercely ignored Derrick for the rest of the lesson.

/

The bell rang, and there was a mad rush for the door. Elise started to scoop her stationary back into her pencil case, before Derrick seized her purple eraser. "What's this?"

"It's an eraser," said Elise, her anger from earlier forgotten. "You use it on pencils – no, it doesn't work on pens!" Derrick was rubbing it on her note from earlier. "Stop, you'll ruin it."

"So … what's a pencil?"

"This." She handed one to him, and watched him turn it over in his hands. "It's like a pen, but … not. You have to sharpen it and stuff."

"Huh." Derrick tried it on a piece of paper. "It works!"

"Of course it works." Elise sighed. "Seriously, why do you use feathers to write with? Pens are so much easier."

"They're called quills," said Derrick, still staring at the pencil.

"Can I have it back please?"

"Right, of course." He handed it back, then looked at her. His brown eyes danced excitedly. "You know – Elise, isn't it?"

"Yes, Derrick!"

"Right. We could get rich from this."

"Rich?"

"Yeah. You're right, pens are so much easier to use than quills and ink. That notebook thing is a heap more functional than pieces of parchment." He was pulling out paper, and scribbling things down. "Here's the deal. You supply the goods, and I'll work out a business plan. We'll get rich and we'll do it quick."

"Wait – do you want to sell my pens?"

"Yeah, only if you want though. Are you in?" Derrick's eyes flashed excitedly.

"As long as it isn't my green ballpoint," said Elise firmly.

"We'll just sell a few, and use the money to buy more – I suppose you know where to get new ones?"

"Of course," said Elise. "Most shops sell them."

Derrick shook his head. "Muggles. You're alright though," he added, as an afterthought. "Right. Are you in?"

"I guess," said Elise, smiling a little. "Let's do it!"

"Are you two finished in here?" Flitwick interrupted, appearing out of nowhere. "You've got your next class!"

As the two of them hurried out the door, Elise whispered to Derrick: "Maybe after a bit we can set up a website and do orders. We could go international!"

"A what?" stared Derrick.

Elise shook her head. "You wizards have some serious improvements to make. A website? Where you sell things? Advertise things?"

Derrick just shook his head, and then smiled. "We'll do great, Elise Bones."

"I know we will!" grinned Elise.

* * *

 _That was a really random plot bunny (which probably didn't make sense), inspired by several random Tumblr posts and my eleven-year-old-self's-obsession with stationary. Hope you enjoyed!_

 _Have a great day, because you deserve it :)_


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